This week in 5 numbers: HR pros say half of their week is spent on repetitive work

Here’s a roundup of numbers from the last week — including how much it costs employees to return to the office.

By Ginger Christ • Oct. 1, 2026

The RTO tax is an estimated $6,700 per year for employees, analysis finds

For working parents paying for childcare, that figure climbs to about $16,000 annually, per Resume.io.

By Ginger Christ • Oct. 1, 2026

Explore the Trendline➔

Inside the rapidly changing world of employee benefits

Healthcare costs are climbing and employee needs are changing. How can HR professionals adapt?

By HR Dive staff

Esker folds AI into employee cost analysis

The finance software firm is now treating AI spending as another component of an employee’s cost alongside salary, bonuses and payroll taxes, the CFO said.

By Alexei Alexis • Oct. 1, 2026

Value-based care could cut healthcare costs. Employers aren’t buying it.

Nearly half of companies don’t plan to make any changes to their value-based arrangements in the next three years, EY found.

By Ginger Christ • Oct. 1, 2026

Lesbian plaintiff fails to show employer’s fertility benefits were biased under SCOTUS test

The case demonstrates how courts have had to parse the implications of the high court’s 2020 decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, Ga.

By Ryan Golden • Sept. 30, 2026

Insurers say AI could add billions in health costs. Billing companies disagree.

When payers shell out more for care, premiums increase, and those costs cascade to employers and patients.

By Jacqueline LaPointe • Sept. 28, 2026

What data says about the who, what, when, where and why of open enrollment education

Stop guessing this open enrollment! Use employee data to boost benefits education and engagement.

By WEX Benefits • Sept. 28, 2026

CMS and SBA rebrand ICHRA as CHOICE Arrangements: Here’s what you need to know

New research reveals growing employer interest in ICHRA and the key factors driving adoption.

Sept. 28, 2026

Should workers be paid for AI skills?

Companies could face a “retention time bomb” if existing workers see new hires get paid more for tech expertise, Payscale found.

By Ginger Christ • Sept. 24, 2026

Nearly half of workers say they don’t want AI in payroll

Artificial intelligence’s use in total rewards remains in the early stages, reports have shown.

By Ginger Christ • Sept. 23, 2026

‘Rampant pay cynicism’ threatens companies, report finds

“A depleted workforce paired with cynicism about pay creates a precarious moment for employers,” a global rewards leader at Marsh said.

By Lara Ewen • Sept. 18, 2026

This week in 5 numbers: Amazon will give grocery benefits to workers

Here’s a roundup of numbers from the last week — including how many employers say artificial intelligence is actually slowing down the hiring process.

By Ginger Christ • Sept. 17, 2026

How can employers boost workers’ 401(k)s? Student loan matching.

The SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 for the first time allowed employers to match eligible employee payments on student loans.

By Ginger Christ • Sept. 17, 2026

Amazon ups minimum hourly starting wage to $20

The e-commerce company increased pay by $1 an hour for full-time employees in core operations and added new grocery discounts.

By Dani James • Sept. 17, 2026

Employers may not know how to explain their pay decisions, Aon says

Only a third of those surveyed said they have conducted a pay remediation analysis, and only 5% could say that remediation is largely complete.

By Caroline Colvin • Sept. 17, 2026

More than half of young workers want to switch jobs soon for better pay, benefits

The share of Generation Z employees looking for greener pastures is on the rise, Robert Half found.

By Ginger Christ • Sept. 16, 2026

Amazon invests $230M in benefits, pay for Whole Foods store employees

As the company continues to merge its operations with the specialty grocer, this next investment focuses on its front-line workers.

By Peyton Bigora • Sept. 15, 2026

8 stories on the healthcare affordability crunch

A vice president at the Business Group on Health recently said employers are at “an inflection point.”

By Ginger Christ • Sept. 10, 2026

Finance is ‘leaning in’ to manage healthcare costs, WTW exec says

CFOs are increasingly partnering with HR executives to help trim rising healthcare costs, WTW’s Tim Stawicki says.

By Maura Webber Sadovi • Sept. 3, 2026

Employers predict moderate pay increases for fourth consecutive year

But compensation decisions often “continue well beyond the annual merit cycle,” Marsh said.

By Ginger Christ • Sept. 3, 2026

The wavering economy ticks up as a factor in executive benefits decisions

Retention and succession planning remain the key priorities, although many companies have no benefits strategies designed to support leadership transition.

By David McCann • Sept. 2, 2026

EY earmarks $100M in rewards for ‘future-focused’ employees

The Big Four accounting firm is looking to reward employees who drive “meaningful change” through innovation, disruption, technology or growth.

By Alexei Alexis • Sept. 1, 2026

As costs mount, employees say they want financial, not wellness benefits

Pay growth and long-term incentives matter most at the moment as well as spot bonuses with increased frequency, Gartner said.

By Kathryn Moody • Sept. 1, 2026

Williams-Sonoma to spread tariff refunds to vendors, employees

The kitchenware retailer is funneling $10 million toward the retirement accounts of workers who helped it navigate tariffs while also reimbursing vendors for discounts. 

By Phil Neuffer • Sept. 1, 2026

US firms plan to increase employee base salary budgets by an average 3.3% in 2027

A majority of companies are also expecting incentive payouts to fall below target levels.

By David McCann • Aug. 31, 2026